"Those miserable bastards!" Overseer Marcus slammed his fist on the table, crumpling the brief telegram message he held. "Whenever they needed our support and supplies, we gave them everything! Now, when we're desperate, they suddenly 'lack the resources'? Good luck, my ass!"

  Captain Harris stood silently, clearly sharing Marcus's frustration. The Guardian Fortress had always been their safety net; now, at this critical moment, it had completely abandoned them.

  "Good luck?" Marcus seethed bitterly. "They've got some nerve."

  Despite their anger, they knew there was little they could do about the Guardian Fortress. After venting his rage, Marcus slumped heavily into his chair, exhausted and defeated.

  "Overseer," Harris said quietly, "perhaps the Guardian Fortress is struggling more than we know. During my last visit, I learned that two Deputy Commanders had already fallen."

  Marcus nodded gravely. He knew the Guardian Fortress faced challenges too, but he'd placed all his hopes on their support against the Gray Mist Blood Bat. Now, even that last shred of hope vanished.

  "Harris, there's something else you don't know," Marcus spoke quietly, eyes filled with grief. "Humanity's third-largest underground city, Rose City in the west, has fallen."

  Harris stared in stunned silence. Rose City was humanity's cornerstone in the western territories, home to millions of people and powerful warriors. If even such a stronghold could fall, what hope remained?

  "The details are unclear," Marcus sighed heavily. "But do we still have any chance?"

  Harris shook off his shock, speaking firmly. "Overseer, even if Rose City has fallen, we must believe that as long as we're alive, hope remains."

  Marcus straightened slightly, regaining composure. "You're right. As long as we survive, we have hope. Gather Victor Shaw and the others immediately. We must plan how to deal with this Gray Mist Blood Bat."

  He hesitated briefly, then added, "Also, invite Old Shen and the other former Overseers. Even if they can no longer fight, their experience might offer valuable advice."

  As Harris turned to leave, a patrol messenger rushed in breathlessly. "Overseer, Captain—Ron Dalton has been killed by the Gray Mist Blood Bat!"

  Marcus and Harris exchanged grim looks; they had just been discussing this creature's threat.

  "Who's the deputy captain on patrol today?" Marcus asked.

  "Ryan Carter," Harris replied somberly. "He must be shaken—he and Ron joined the patrol together."

  "Overseer, none of today's patrol members are willing to continue," the messenger added cautiously. "Everyone fears that monster."

  Marcus opened his mouth angrily, but Harris gently shook his head. "Cancel today's regular patrols. Have Deputy Captains Ryan Carter and Ethan Cole closely monitor the cassava slopes. Ignore minor issues—just maintain vigilance."

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  Relief flooded the messenger's face as he quickly departed. Watching him go, Marcus sighed deeply. Rules were one thing, but when death came knocking, people's survival instincts prevailed.

  Soon, Old Shen, Victor Shaw, and other former Overseers gathered in Marcus's chamber. Despite his current condition, Old Shen commanded considerable respect.

  Marcus wasted no time, quickly explaining the situation. Upon hearing the Guardian Fortress's refusal, several elder former Overseers immediately cursed, expressing their displeasure vividly.

  "When they needed us, they spoke of duty and sacrifice! Now that we're in trouble, suddenly we're on our own? Shameless scoundrels!"

  "Are those bastards not afraid their superiors will punish them?"

  Amid the angry voices, Old Shen alone remained grimly silent, his expression deeply troubled. Finally, he slammed his cane sharply, commanding instant silence.

  "Enough shouting! Words won't drown them," Old Shen barked. Even Marcus instinctively straightened up at Old Shen's authoritative tone.

  "Guardian Fortress never refused us before," Shen explained gravely. "Their current refusal means only one thing—they're truly overwhelmed themselves. They have no resources left to spare."

  Impossible!" another elder protested. "Guardian Fortress has five Spirit Blood Generals! How could they be overwhelmed?"

  Though they'd cursed the fortress loudly, deep down, it remained humanity's strongest symbol of safety. If Guardian Fortress had fallen into crisis, none of them were safe.

  Marcus knew more about the dire situation than he revealed, but sharing such hopeless news now would only demoralize everyone further.

  "Forget Guardian Fortress!" Old Shen declared firmly. "Our immediate concern is eliminating the Gray Mist Blood Bat. Otherwise, within three months, it'll attract others of its kind—and that'll be our end."

  "Eliminating it sounds easy," Victor sighed heavily, "but that creature's speed is terrifying. Even if we surround it, killing it is nearly impossible."

  Marcus's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "If we could immobilize it for ten seconds, we could use our last Grade G Star-Piercing Ballista to kill it instantly."

  Ten seconds sounded brief, but restraining a bloodline-level Gray Mist Blood Bat midair for that long was extraordinarily difficult. Marcus had summoned these former Overseers hoping their wisdom might find a solution, but the room fell silent—no one had a ready answer.

  "If we fail, we'll have to consider relocating the settlement," Marcus finally said grimly.

  "No!" Victor protested passionately. "Relocating would kill at least half our people—it's suicide!"

  Marcus's voice hardened. "If we do nothing, we'll lose everyone eventually. Sacrificing half is better than losing all."

  Victor fell silent, his face clouded with anguish. Relocation spelled disaster—everyone knew it.

  "If we relocate," Harris murmured painfully, "we might not even survive the journey."

  Suddenly, Old Shen spoke quietly. "If I still had my abilities, I could immobilize the bat for ten seconds. But now, only one person here might achieve it—Ryan Carter."

  "Ryan?" Harris protested immediately. "He's just awakened! How could he possibly restrain that monster for ten seconds? He's not strong enough!"

  Victor agreed urgently, "Old Shen, Ryan's talented, but he's still too inexperienced. We'd be sending him to his death."

  Old Shen glared sternly. "So, you doubt my judgment now? This is exactly why you're stuck—arrogant fools refusing to see talent right before you!"

  He continued passionately, "Ryan fully understood my Clock of Time technique—something none of you could grasp. If anyone can restrain the bat, it's him."

  Marcus leaned forward urgently. "Old Shen, are you absolutely certain?"

  "Completely!" Shen snapped. "Marcus, you've seen my Clock of Time—it's unmatched. Yet none of you blockheads could learn it! Now, at this crucial moment, you're forced to rely on a mere child—what does that tell you?"

  Despite Old Shen's harsh words, Marcus ignored his embarrassment, focused entirely on survival. Harris still objected fiercely. "I refuse. Ryan is a promising young warrior; we can't sacrifice him like this!"

  Victor nodded solemnly. "Ryan's potential is enormous. Losing him to the bat's poison mist would be tragic."

  Marcus sat silently, hands slowly clenching and unclenching, wrestling with his conscience. Finally, after a tense pause, he spoke heavily.

  "Whether Ryan can succeed or not—we can at least test his abilities first, can't we?"